35

D.-4.

We are of opinion that the present arrangements are not equitable to the railways. The sum of £4,307 mentioned above is not sufficient to cover the extra annual charges to the Railways Department incurred for providing the use of the bridges for road traffic. An estimate of the actual extra charges is as follows :— Firstly, interest, maintenance, and depreciation charges on the extra materials in the combined bridges due to the presence of the road. Secondly, the cost of retaining bridge-keepers and maintaining bridges; the extra cost of maintaining the main structures due to the presence of decking and the road traffic. This is estimated at £15,500 per annum, made up as shown in the schedule below, as against £4,307 now being contributed.

Combined Road and Railway Bridges.—Total Charges due from Road Traffic.

Your Commission is of opinion that the Railways Department is entitled to receive an additional £11,193 on this account, and, if possible, payment be made by the Main Highways Board direct to the Railways Department out of sums payable to the various local bodies affected from the Main Highways Board Fund. In addition to this amount, the question arises whether the Railways Department is not entitled to receive an additional sum as a proportion of the interest, depreciation, and maintenance charges on the main structures. These charges are estimated at approximately £38,000 per annum for all combined bridges. Were these bridges not in existence for road traffic the Highways Board would be compelled to incur heavy expenditure in providing road-bridges, thereby entailing a large 3*

(Column 2 calculated from three tallies to hand on 31st July, 1930.) j T. 27 S. I. +3 I CD <h o co c3 • a s !i llli 3 65. @U s- ■s'SS §oli 1± [Name of Bridge. g Line. Length, in Feet. S'S §«£ H-gSfi s~ia Eo2 2 $ g I g.ffl -?SV„ ®fS H S«MB mS 1 111 fii nil II s i 2 fl TJ oasg S 0) w r-.cs a .9 *S n o.o •rj'tftir-. o2s Jo < -So 11-9 o otf . ... PH £ | £ % £ £ £ Whakatane .. 141 E.C.M.T.R. .. 1,200 173 427 4°6 1,680 77 504 Huntly .. 1 Huntly-Awaroa .. 904 90 319 24-0 1,663 399 718 Matapuna .. 100 Main Trunk .. 464 204 681 5-9 1,074 63 744 Rangitikei .. 98 Wanganui Main Line 600 250 492 1-5 j 1,663 25 517 Ngawapurua .. 114 Wellington Main Line 1,194 220 725 22-0 2,070 455 1,180 Waikohu .. 19 Gisborne .. 400 40 115 25-0 810 202 317 Motupiko .. 38 Nelson .. .. 804 80 174 12-6 900 113 287 Ure River .. 64 Pieton .. .. 400 46 78 24-5 338 81 159 Rakaia .. 10 Main South Line 5,934 600 4,607 18-0 3,240 584 5,191 Waimakiriri .. 15 Oxford Branch . . 352 35 122 10-0 714 714 836 Waiau-ua .. 26 Cheviot Branch .. 2,326 230 597 16-0 2,070 332 929 New River .. 12 Ross Branch .. 157 16 52 10-9 81 9 61 Teremakau ..14 „ .. 726 73 161 10-0 1,466 146 307 Arahura ..27 „ .. 673 67 175 11-0 620 68 243 Hokitika ..32 „ .. 2,800 150 740 22-8 2,610 595 1,335 Ngahere .. 1 Blackball Branch 1,679 168 487 11-4 2,313 264 751 Waitahu .. 74 Reefton .. 523 52 159 26-0 540 141 300 Boatman's ..76 „ .. 240 24 I 73 20-5 990 203 276 Larry's Creek 79 „ .. 324 32 j 99 20-5 315 65 164 Landing ..86 „ .. 300 32 ! 83 25-5 656 167 250 Buller .. 1 Cape Foulwind .. 1,048 104 J 246 93-6 1,898 1,778 2,024 Bradshaw's Creek 2 „ .. 121 12 | 142 83-3 54 45 187 Ngakawau .. 30 Mokihinui .. 583 58 j 142 27-0 360 97 239 Waitaki .. 114 Dunedin Main Line 3,740 426 2,354 8-6 3,135 270 2,624 Maerewhenua .. 21 Kurow Branch .. ( 327 50 712 30-5 255 78 , 790 Upper Waitaki 35 „ .. 980 100 203 83-0 677 563 766 ..36 „ .. 1,531 152 326 83 0 1,143 950 1.276 Manuhcrikia .. 85 Otago Central .. 297 30 105 0-76 500 4 109 Sutton's Creek .. 23 „ .. 100 10 38 1-0 211 2 40 Lumsden .. 1 Mossburn .. 657 57 161 43'8 450 197 358 Mataura .. 3 Switzer's ■ .. 594 60 180 37-5 477 179 359 Karangahake .. 1 E.C.M.T.R. .. 340 railway, 123 96 10-0* 654 65* 161 180 road Awatere .. 42 Picton 1,034 railway, 543 429 10-0* 1,800 180* 609 870 road 4,307 15,500 .. 37,427 | 9,111 24,611 * Tallies not available —10 per cent, assumed.